The Little Old Lady Who Broke All the Rules

A Novel

Martha Andersson may be 79 years old and live in a retirement home, but that doesn't mean she's ready to stop enjoying life. So when the new management of Diamond House starts cutting corners to save money, Martha and her four closest friends--Brains, The Rake, Christina and Anna-Gretta (a.k.a. The League of Pensioners)--won't stand for it. Fed up with early bedtimes and overcooked veggies, this group of feisty seniors sets about to regain their independence, improve their lot, and stand up for seniors everywhere. Their solution? White collar crime. What begins as a relatively straightforward robbery of a nearby luxury hotel quickly escalates into an unsolvable heist at the National Museum. With police baffled and the Mafia hot on their trail, the League of Pensioners has to stay one walker's length ahead if it's going to succeed.

Comment

Old people are capable. This is the unifying statement of the League of Pensioners.

79 yr old Martha Andersson has a plan. The retirement home she and four friends (Anna-Greta, Christina, Brains & Rake) live in has changed ownership and the place has gone downhill to the point where prisoners are better treated and taken care of. This gives Martha an idea and the League of Pensioners is formed with the goal to perpetrate a crime big enough that they can live out their days in the luxury of the prison she saw a documentary about.

The adventures they get into is a fast paced race through thefts and robbery and a stint in prison.

This was both a sad story - how poorly old people are taken care of and ignored and written off, and one of great adventure, determination and getting on with what needs to be done to have a wonderful life. 5/5

Cute, but felt like it lacked an ending. The writing style didn't really draw me in, and it felt like the author was introducing the cops as new characters within the last 75 pages of the book. Too bad for an amusing concept.

It is a comical fun read for the summer. However, It kind of hits close to home as we get older and are all being pushed towards living in long term care/old folks homes in the near future. I think that there could be a enlightening hidden message here.

If you're looking for a literary masterpiece, then this book is not for you. It is a cute read about a group of elderly people living in a home where the rules and privileges are getting more restricted by the day. So they embark on the crazy idea that prison would be preferable, and do their best to ensure they get incarcerated.